Growing up, shepherd’s pie was the ultimate cold-weather comfort food in my house. We all loved to dig into those warm, hearty layers of meat, veggies and mashed potatoes that felt like a cozy hug.

A pie of ground meat in a savory gravy topped with mashed potatoes is a hearty, comforting dish. When it includes lamb, as the British version often does, it's called Shepherd's Pie; with beef it ...